Item: Teacher (Lama) - (unidentified, male, lay)

Unidentified Teacher.

This painting has been identified as Marpa Chokyi Lodro while in the Essen Collection, Germany. This identification has been maintained after moving to the Museum der Kulturen, Basel Switzerland.

Based on the iconography and the surrounding figures it is unlikely that this is in fact Marpa and more likely to be a Nyingma, Sakya, or Jonang Lama.

At the upper left side is a monastic figure wearing a flat topped yellow pandita hat. This types of head wear is more typical of Shalu or Jonang monasteries. The Gelug tradition of the 15th century adopted a sharp pointed yellow pandita hat. At The upper right side is an mage of Padmasambhava and Yeshe Tsogyal descending on multi-coloured rainbow clouds. At the lower left side is the protector deity associated with the Tibetan medical system of Nyangral Nyima Ozer, Dorje Shanglon in his 'Outer' aspect.

Mar pa Biographical Details

Jeff Watt 2-2009 [updated 11-2024]